The present invention relates to devices and methods for the attractive and functional display and storage of trading cards, especially sports trading cards.
The business of making, buying, selling and trading cards depicting major sports figures and their accomplishments, for example, stars of professional baseball, football, basketball and hockey teams, has become a booming business. Major card-trading expositions are held regularly throughout the country and draw vast crowds of buyers, sellers and traders. Exhibitors are continually looking to improve the aesthetic and functional display of trading cards. Similarly, card collectors are continually looking for better display and storage devices for their card collections.
Various devices have been proposed and used for the attractive and functional display and/or storage of trading cards. Since the trading card business and culture are inexorably linked to sports, it would be desirable for the trading card display to reflect a sports theme. U.S. Pat. No. 5,979,097 to Danney E. Moore is typical of prior art card displays. It comprises a rectangular, clear plastic card holder in the nature of a picture frame. The Moore patent further discloses displays that include an audio device to emit pre-recorded material, such as the tune xe2x80x9cTake Me Out to the Ball Park.xe2x80x9d U.S. Pat. No. 5,820,127 to Irma L. Rodriguez discloses a trading card apparatus and game board, including a rotating stadium for receiving, displaying, storing and sorting sports trading cards.
Prior art display and storage devices have not been entirely satisfactory, however. There is a need, therefore, for improved sports memorabilia displays and storage devices, especially card display and storage devices that reflect a sports theme.
It is the object of the invention to provide a device for the attractive and the functional display and storage of trading cards in a sports environment or setting conducive to the display and storage of the subject matter of the cards.
It is a particular object of the invention to provide for the attractive and functional display and storage of trading cards in replicas of stadiums in which the persons depicted on the cards performed, played or carried out the activities for which they acquired their fame, e.g., a replica of a baseball stadium for display of baseball player cards, a football field for display of football player cards, a hockey rink or hockey arena for display of hockey player cards, a basketball court or arena for display of basketball player cards, etc. In this way, the activities of the depicted players are more closely affiliated with the field of their activity in an attractive setting.
A more specific object of the invention is to provide a card display and storage device comprising a replica of a stadium having spectators stands, wherein the replication of the stands comprises surfaces for the display of cards.
Another more specific object of the invention is to provide a sports card display and storage device comprising a replica of a sports stadium having a realistic playing field for the play of a given sport and one or more modular decks and/or sections of spectator stands for fans viewing the sport. The replication of the stands comprises slanted surfaces for the display of sports cards having relation to the given sport. The slanted or inclined surfaces may be either flat or stair-stepped. Each deck or section is modular and may be readily snapped together or apart. A card collector may begin with the field of play and one section or deck of stands. As the collector""s card collection grows, he may purchase additional sections or decks. The various sections or decks may be snapped in place, owing to the modular design.
Still another specific object of the invention is to afford to the art a process of providing for the attractive display and storage of sports cards comprising the steps of replicating on a minor scale a sports stadium having a playing field for the play of a given sport and one or more decks or sections of spectator stands for fans viewing the sport, replicating the spectator stands as surfaces facing the playing field, and displaying on the surfaces sports cards related to the given sport.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those of reasonable skill in the art from the following detailed description, as considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.